1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clasp for use with both a brooch and a pendant which, when attached to a brooch, enables the brooch to be used as a pendant.
2. Description of the Related Art
People have conventionally enjoyed dressing up by attaching a brooch to their clothing or hanging a pendant from their necks. As shown in FIG. 16, at present a brooch is usually attached to a piece of clothing using a brooch clasp G fixed to the rear surface of a brooch main body F. This type of brooch clasp G is formed by supporting one end portion of a needle-shaped latch 12 rotatably on one end of the rear surface of the brooch main body F, and providing a latch receiver 13 for latching the sharp tip end of the latch 12 on the other end of the brooch main body F.
In the latch receiver 13, as shown in FIG. 17, a tubular portion 14 provided with a flange portion 14a on its rear end is fitted into the inside of a cylinder 13b, which has a mountain-shaped (triangular) cut-away portion 13a formed in one end side thereof, from the other end side thereof. The flange portion 14a is then moved (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 17) by gripping the flange portion 14a such that the tubular portion 14 is inserted into and removed from the cylinder 13b of the latch receiver 13, and thus the needle-shaped tip end of the latch 12 can be latched inside the tubular portion 14.
Meanwhile, the owner of a brooch may sometimes wish to use the brooch as a pendant. In a device for use in such a case, disclosed in the laying open of Japanese Utility Model Application H6-9512 and shown in FIG. 18, a through hole 20 through which a chain or the like can be passed is provided in a brooch pin 19 serving as a brooch clasp. Thus, when the brooch 22 is to be used as a pendant, a chain or the like is passed through the through hole 20 provided in the brooch pin 19 such that the brooch 22 hangs on the chain. The brooch 22 can then be used as a pendant.
In a further device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration Publication No. 3087633 and shown in FIG. 19, a rear surface side of a pendant 24 on a pin brooch 23 provided with a pendant is formed with a chain insertion formation 26 fixed to a rear surface plate portion 25 which is a part of the pendant 24. A chain insertion portion 27 is formed between the rear surface plate portion 25 and the chain insertion formation 26. A pin insertion tube 28 is welded to the rear surface plate portion 25, and a pin 29 is inserted into the pin insertion tube 28. A substantially U-shaped spring portion 30 is formed integrally with the insertion tube 28, and a spherical abutting portion 31 is formed on the tip end of the spring portion 30. The spherical abutting portion 31 abuts against the rear surface plate portion 25 so as to urge the rear surface plate portion 25. When the pin brooch 23 is to be used as the pendant 24, the pin 29 is removed, and a separately provided chain is passed through the chain insertion portion 27 and hung around the neck for use as a pendant.
However, in the former case, the through hole 20 for passing through a chain or the like is provided in a narrow location between the brooch pin 19, a bearing 21 for opening and closing the pin, and the brooch 22. Moreover, the through hole 20 for passing through a chain or the like is formed into a ring without the opening, and in reality, it is difficult to pass a chain through the through hole 20. Furthermore, only chains having a width that is equal to or less than the inner diameter of the through hole 20 can be passed through the through hole 20.
In the latter case, the chain insertion portion 27 required for use as the pendant 24, the pin insertion tube 28 required for use as a brooch, the pin 29, the spring portion 30, the spherical abutting portion 31, and so on must all be provided separately. Moreover, when the pin brooch 23 is to be used as the pendant 24, the pin 29 protrudes from the pendant 24, and hence the pin 29 must always be removed, which is tiresome.